This application claims priority of Taiwanese application no. 091218429, filed on Nov. 15, 2002.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a circuit board assembly, more particularly to a circuit board assembly with separable first and second circuit board devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic devices, such as a personal computer, a portable computer, a personal digital assistant, etc., incorporate a single circuit board device that includes a printed circuit board, and electronic components mounted on the printed circuit board and coupled electrically to each other by means of traces on the printed circuit board.
As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional circuit board device includes a printed circuit board 3, a north bridge chipset 31 mounted on the printed circuit board 3, and a south bridge chipset 35 mounted on the printed circuit board 3 and coupled electrically to the north bridge chipset 31. The north bridge chipset 31 bridges a memory module 33 and a display interface 34 to a central processing unit (CPU) 32. The south bridge chipset 35 bridges peripheral devices connected to a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) port 36, a universal serial bus (USB) port 37, an extended capability (EC) port 38, an integrated drive electronics (IDE) port 39, a small computer system interface (SCSI) port 40, a serial port 41, a parallel port 42, and other peripheral interfaces (not shown), to the north bridge chipset 31.
However, since the north and south bridge chipsets 31, 35 are mounted on the same printed circuit board 3, when the north/south bridge chipset 31, 35 needs to be upgraded, the entire circuit board device has to be replaced with a new one. As such, the south/north bridge chipset 35, 31, which can still be used, is discarded along with the north/south bridge chipset 31, 35. This results in higher costs and additional burden to the environment.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a circuit board assembly that includes a first circuit board device and a second circuit board device separate from the first circuit board device so as to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.
According to the present invention, a circuit board assembly comprises first and second circuit board devices. The first circuit board device includes a printed circuit board, a first controller mounted on the first printed circuit board, and a first communications unit mounted on the first printed circuit board and connected electrically to the first controller. The second circuit board device includes a second printed circuit board separate from the first printed circuit board, a second controller mounted on the second printed circuit board, and a second communications unit mounted on the second printed circuit board and connected electrically to the second controller. The second communications unit cooperates with the first communications unit to establish a communications link between the first and second controllers while maintaining separability between the first and second printed circuit boards.